Four days in the hot-spot money pit that is Montauk have me hoping I’m not going to miss some of this week’s big books. With apologies to Van Halen:

Ain’t Montaukin’ ’bout love

Vacay will keep me from the store

Ain’t Montaukin’ ’bout love

Cash-only shopping–I’m poor, yeah, I’m poor!

Doesn’t mean I won’t get out to Android’s to pick up these books, some semi-good lookin’ and some–mostly from the increasingly impressive Avatar Press–downright I&N Demand.

Harrow County #4 (Dark Horse)

Rebels #5 (Dark Horse)

String Divers #1 (IDW)

The Beauty #1 (Image)

The Fade Out #8 (Image)

Injection #4 (Image)

Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl #1 (Image): Just I&N and I&N Demand The team of Gillen, McKelvie, and Wilson–I think they’re OK. (OK: more than OK, really. OK?) If you don’t give them proper credit, you better just walk away–or I’ll slap you upside the head with a copy–I’ll make you pick your own copy, too; there’s a switch!–of The Wicked + The Divine to set your damn head straight. Oh, baby: I’m mad–on a roll, right? And to think: I missed the original Phonogram series; so I’m coming to this kinda like a virgin, no?

Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl #1

Starve #3 (Image): I&N Demand Through two: Starve is full of bold, assertive notes–it’s a massive success! When Gavin–Starve‘s Top Chef–tells Sheldon, “I’m going to show you my city,” I hear Brian Wood himself, who’s so very good at cooking up deliciously diverse worlds with depth of flavor; and his art team of Danijel Zezelj and Dave Stewart (a 2015 Innie nominee for Best Colorist) are the perfect sous chefs, plating–er, paneling–with brash black lines and shadows amplified by alternating–and often blended for a striking contrast–warm and cool tones. Hungry for more? I sure am!

Starve #3

Velvet #11 (Image)

18 Days #2 (Graphic India)

Americatown #1 (BOOM!)

Bloodshot: Reborn #5 (Valiant)

Crossed +100 #7 (Avatar) I&N Demand Alan Moore’s set the stage for Si Spurrier with a sick six issue arc that relied on obsessively intricate world building and long-fuse storytelling; but, damn, did it explode in the end. What an effing payoff! Man, Moore didn’t have to cross the Crossed line to be affective–he just went and redrew the brown out of it. Now, Spurrier’s no stranger to Crossed. In this case, however, he’s working off of Moore’s notes, which puts him in an odd position: he’s sort of a filter, right? One that might miss the mark tone-wise; hell, he might languish a bit with the oft-awkward language Moore’s crafted. It’s a risky proposition, for sure. Spurrier–the winner of the 2014 Innie Award for Best Writer–is pretty damn great, but he’s not Moore. Here’s hoping that he’s not much less, either.

Crossed +100 #7

Death Sentence: London #3 (Titan)

Mercury Heat #2 (Avatar)

Providence #3 (Avatar): I&N Demand Patient, potent: Providence is only two issues in, but Moore’s in deep–basement deep–and we’re right there with him. His commitment to the book is palpable, and he demands one from us; he demands our full attention–and Cthulhu knows he’s going to take advantage of it!

Providence #3

Über #27 (Avatar): I&N Demand Kieron Gillen’s delivered some strong issues along the way, but none as powerful as #26. Leah’s deployment was “everything [I] could have hoped for”–and more. Sure, the German Battleships may have gotten the best of the Brits in this, “the largest enhanced confrontation on the Western Front,” but I was emotionally destroyed by the relationship between HMHs Churchill and Dunkirk. Goddammit, Gillen’s killin’ it!

Archie vs. Predator #1 (Dark Horse) Just I&N OK, so, like, well, everyone else, I pretty much discovered the Archie-verse with Afterlife and regretted not having visited Riverdale more often after reading–along with everyone else–Life With Archie #36. (Heck of a time to jump on board, eh?) Despite my last-second, Scotty-come-lately Archievement, I was pretty settled on passing on this one. I mean, it sounds silly–sure, like Afterlife didn’t–and I didn’t know from Alex De Campi–until I read No Mercy (Image), which was really, really good. So, yeah, I’ve gone from I don’t care to Just I&N–just like that!

Millennium #4 (IDW): It’s not just Jordan, folks: it’s adult Jordan! That move’s a slam dunk in my book! After three issues, there’s no doubt: this is for hardcore Millennium fans only. Good thing I make a point of watching all three seasons on DVD every summer. Heh. Who knew that old practice would come in handy some day? Oh, but it has: it’s kept me so very ready for the further adventures of Frank Black.

The Fade Out #5 (Image): Honesty: I remember liking #4, but I can’t remember what the hell happened. Rrrrrrrrrrrr <—-That’s my avoiding using an obvious pun.

Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses #3 (Image) I&N Demand #1 was our #3 book of February. #2 didn’t quite reach that level, but it still scratched that itch.

Stray Bullets: Sunshine and Roses #3

Magneto #17 (Marvel): Erik’s past has come back to haunt him. No, not that past. Not that one, either. It’s his past-past, his waaaay past–his WWII past: a Nazi tormentor has come to Genosha; he’s murdering mutants and promising to murder more. There’s no way Erik can abide that. Something tells me revenge is in the offing–after he cleans off his bathroom mirror with some disinfectant spray, of course.

Uncanny X-Men #33 (Marvel): The X-Verse has been falling apart for some time now. Took me long enough, but I’ve finally given up on All-New. I should’ve given up on this one, too. So, so terrible. #31 had Cyclops berated by some nobody student in a moment that felt as unauthentic as Harper Row’s inexplicably lighting into Batman back in Batman #whocares; #32 saw him knocked out by Gold Balls. No, really: he was hit in the head with Gold Balls’ gold balls. This one looks like it’s going to be another patented X-filler issue. It’s Unnecessary X-Men #33! Yeah, I think it’s time.

Bloodshot: Reborn #1 (Valiant): I’m off Descender and All-New Hawkeye after trying two of each. Believe me: I want to love something that Jeff Lemire’s writing; I really do. That’s why I keep trying. And here I am, trying again.

Crossed +100 #4 (Avatar) I&N Demand Alan Moore’s brought a touch of Burgess to his narration and dialogue, making his take on Ennis’s mad, mad, mad, mad world read like A Crossedwork Red. No joke: #3 was not an easy read; but there’s still something terribly compelling about it, mainly because Moore’s clearly building–and patiently so–toward something–something big, maybe something not so big at all, who knows? Maybe he’s forging headlong into the heart of darkness, which he’s done before, and which would mean we’re in for a Conradian adventure–one that’s an exercise in superhuman patience. Because, let’s be honest, we all know that anything worth having is worth the work–and the wait. That’s what I skull, anyway.

Giant Days #2 (BOOM!) I&N Demand I had no idea what to expect from Giant Days. Maybe that’s why I ended up loving it as much as I did. Could also be because it’s just that good. Damn thing’s hilarious. Keep an eye out: I’m going to fight to include #1 in our Top 5 for March.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #2 (Archie) I&N Demand Man, I’ve been waiting for this.#1 was one of my favorite single issues of 2014. It was so good–so much better than that other, over-hyped wytch-themed book that overshadowed it; you know, the one that cast a spell with its creators’ names but ended up delivering a real wooden piece of “CHHIT.” No, Sabrina does everything right: it’s a masterclass in storytelling–in juxtaposition, in pacing, and most important, in horror–from Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa–the genius behind Afterlife With Archie–and the panel-perfect Robert Hack. What a mind-eff, no? Seems the comic book home of true terror is Archie Horror!

The Sixth Gun: Dust to Dust #3 (Oni): Yay! I get to add another issue to my Sixth Gun pile.

Avery’s Pick of the Week

My Little Pony: Fiendship Is Magic #3 (IDW): Avery’s Grammy saw #2, read the title through Fiendship, and stopped short with an “Oh.” I assured her that it’s a series about some of the Pony villains. Turns out that my definition of assured isn’t the same as hers.

Looking forward to a few HUGE number ones: DC’s Multiversity, Image’s The Fade Out, and Valiant’s The Delinquents. Also have my eye on the repriced DHP. Plenty of other good stuff, too–including an against-the-odds purchase that might bring down the walls of my LCS!

Dark Horse Presents 2014 #1 (Dark Horse): I would buy Geoff Darrow and Frank Miller’s anything. I even would’ve paid $7.99! But the fellas at Dark Horse have decided to knock down the price of DHP with the “reboot.” So we’re talking $4.99 for Darrow and Miller and, among other anthological amuse-bouches, David Mack’s Kabuki! Yes, please!

Dark Horse Presents 2014 #1

Batman and Robin #34 (DC): Robin is still rising. I hope he does a better job of it this time around–especially considering how awful the awfully disappointing Robin Rises: Omega was. That’s right: sad to say, my favorite Batman book earned the ignominious distinction of being the Biggest Dis(appointment) of July.

The Multiversity #1 (DC): Grant Morrison is back–finally. He’s been missed–by us and, most assuredly, by the DC powers that be. (Marvel’s been cleaning their clocks for a while now; so it’s about time.) His name is synonymous with quality–even if it is an awkwardly incomprehensible quality.

The Multiversity #1

Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland #1 (IDW): I don’t have any experience with Little Nemo, but this looks too good to pass up.

The Fade Out #1 (Image): Hot on the high heels of the Fatale finale comes this new series from Brubaker and Phillips. The description reminds of Fraction and Chaykin’s Satellite Sam–which is not a bad thing.

The Fade Out #1

Stray Bullets: Killers #6 (Image): The first new Amy Racecar issue brought a little horsepower back to Lapham’s Bullets, which has been grinding its gears a bit since a high-octane first issue–which Derek gushed over here.

Trees #4 (Image): #2 earned our Biggest Dis(appointment) of June. #3 didn’t necessarily wash the taste of #2 from our mouths, but, for the quality of the conversation, it certainly changed the flavor a bit. Just when I thought I’d be free of Trees, Ellis sucks me right back in.

The Wicked & The Divine #3 (Image): I thought #2 was OK–certainly better than the first one. It didn’t make me want to call it quits, nor did it leave me inconsolable over the fact that I’d have to wait a month for #3. Damn thing reeks of arrogance–which suits the godly gang well. I still think the premise is kinda cool, and I’ve come to have more faith in Gillen thanks to Über; so I’m sticking around. We’ll see what happens. (Side note: anyone else seeing similarities between this and Azzarello’s Wonder Woman? A quick flip through just gave me that vibe.)

The Wicked & The Divine #3

Daredevil #7 (Marvel): The Original Sin tie-in was actually pretty good and included one of the best DD double-page spreads I’ve ever heard. On to another, more about Matt’s mother–and off to Wakanda.

Magneto #8 (Marvel): Re: #7: not my favorite issue. More a carried note than a new one. Translation: the pattern that Bunn’s been following stood out more than the story itself. Hope that doesn’t carry forward.

Ms. Marvel #7 (Marvel): I can’t believe I’m saying this: I didn’t care very much for #6. My secret crush–the marvelous Kamala Khan–was insufferable! Ugh! How did endearingly awkward twist to annoyingly annoying so darned quickly? And my concerns about the change in artist–well, they were well founded. Wyatt’s work may as well have been lined with metal, too. I’m not ready to quit Kamala, but I am, quite suddenly, anxious about our next meeting.

Armor Hunters: Harbinger #2 (Valiant): The first one didn’t do much for me. Probably going to ride it out anyway.

Black Market #2 (BOOM!): I’ve pretty much hated everything I’ve read from Frank Barbiere–until Black Market #1. Everything about it worked–especially the end. Definitely looking forward to my experience with #2–maybe more so than #2 itself. Is it possible that I’ll like another issue of a Barbiere book?

The Delinquents #1 (Valiant): This has the potential of being the best thing ever, you know, with Van Lente and Asmus clinking their heads together like IPA-filled pint glasses. I couldn’t be hoppier–er, happier about this collaboration. Add to the toast the oft-amazing Kano, who blew us away with his work on Quantum and Woody #10, and, well, I’m willing to “Wow!” before I even read it!

The Delinquents #1

The Last Broadcast #4 (BOOM!/Archaia): We’ve loved the series thus far–and we’ve broadcasted it to all who’d listen. We made #2 one of our Top 5 Books of June and #3 just missed despite its being maybe even better than #2. (Yeah, July was a pretty stacked month. Top 5 to come.) Very much looking forward to this.

The Last Broadcast #4

The Life After #2 (Oni Press): Suicide certainly is a touchy subject–made even more so with the recent loss of Robin Williams. For some, the wound might be too fresh. For me, however, that wound calloused over a long time ago. A high school classmate of mine took her life during our junior year; it’s something I’ve never gotten over but have learned to live with. Fialkov is healing with the help of some famous figures. I’m willing to follow along.

Avery’s Pick of the Week

Scribblenauts Unmasked: A Crisis of Imagination #8 (DC): Avery’s embrace of #7 went viral. OK, so it wasn’t Ebola; but it certainly infected writer Josh Elder. Odds are good she’s gonna hug this one, too!

The Massive #25 (Dark Horse): Since February, The Massive has been an I&N monthly Top 5 Book. That’s a record five months in a row! On the strength of that, I think it’s safe to say that Brian Wood’s book is headed for the Top Ten of 2014. For the most part, “Sahara” delivered its powerful feminist message in the understated manner–Women! Water! Life!–we’ve come to expect from Wood. (If I’m being fair, Part Three felt a bit preachy at times, but not to the detriment of the issue or of the arc.) The final arc–with its promise of Massive answers–begins here.

Veil #4 (Dark Horse): Has been somewhat disappointing–the last issue, in particular. I’m not caring too much about the femme ratale. There’s something all too familiar about her. Fejzula’s art’s been good, though. I’m riding it out because it’s a fiver.

East of West #14 (Image): Has been North of Excellent. Hickman and Dragotta certainly took their time building a big world–which is Hickman’s bag, ain’t it?; oh, but they’ve been hitting big–no, really big notes of late. (#12, in particular, was ridiculously good.) A dark robot horse for my personal pick for the Top Ten of 2014.

Fatale #24 (Image): Lots of love for the poetic penultimate issue. I thought it was spectacular, really–visually (different for Phillips on Fatale that’s for sure) and in terms of revelations. Brubaker went Big Bang, man. As I’m remembering, I’m still kinda affected by the whole thing with Josephine’s son. Creepy as hell, but, in the end, necessary, no? Speaking of the end: this is the femme finale–and I have no doubt: “It’s going to hurt.” Yeah, it’s going to be tough to say goodbye to one of our favorite books.

Fatale #24

Low #1 (Image): I couldn’t be any lower on a creator than I am on Remender. Why would I do this to myself??

Outcast #2 (Image): “Demons are the new zombies,” eh? The first issue was a decent set up. It’s no Thomas Alsop, that’s for sure; but I’ll give it a few, you know, to see where it goes. (If you’re not reading Thomas Alsop from BOOM! yet, get on that. You won’t be disappointed.)

Hawkeye #19 (Marvel): Listen up! Apparently, it’s taken Aja a long time to master the art of sign language for this issue. That’s right: try to remember–or I’ll remind: Clint’s gone deaf. So…

Hawkeye #19

Uncanny X-Men #24 (Marvel): I missed the last issue. As a result, I have no idea what secrets Xavier’s will revealed. Now that’s a sin!

Eye of Newt #1 (Dark Horse): I ain’t a fan of The Hobbit and I ain’t looking to make a habit outta buying books that tease Tolkienesque quests. But this new release from Michael Hague looks awfully pretty. Reminds of Rebecca Guay.

Eye of Newt #1

Batman and Ra’s al Ghul #32 (DC): OK, so, I’ve been touting this title for over a year now, mostly because of how well Tomasi dealt with the aftermath of Morrison’s fatal calculus. Since the Two-Face arc, however, it just hasn’t added up–that is until #31, which offered the return of Frankenstein and a breath of fresh art from guest artist Doug Mahnke.

Wonder Woman #32 (DC): Wanna talk about women in comics? The conversation begins and ends with Wonder Woman. In the Battle of the Bulging Bag, the new God of War is the clear winner.

Wonder Woman #32

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #35 (IDW):No longer gets a bump from being a surprise–and doesn’t need it! I think we can all agree: Mateus Santolouco owns the Turtles. If we’re lucky, he’ll never leave.

Winterworld #1 (IDW): Chuck Dixon and Butch Guice? Yes, please!

Alex + Ada #7 (Image): Sure, Ada only recently gained sentience; but let’s face it: this book’s been full of life from the get-go.

Alex + Ada #7

Fatale #23 (Image): #22 worked for what it was. This one promises to be “the strangest issue […] yet.” Guess that means a helluva lot of strange. Aw, hell, Brubaker and Phillips may as well wring out the strange sponge on their way out.

The Manhattan Projects #21 (Image): Gee whiz! An issue featuring a dog! Haven’t read one of those in while.

The Wicked & The Divine #1 (Image): Kieron Gillen’s a must try. Jamie McKelvie’s clean style will go a long way toward letting Gillen tell his story about young gods living the life–until they die.

Daredevil #4 (Marvel): Who?

Daredevil #4

Silver Surfer #3 (Marvel): #2 earned its place in our Top 5 for April. Read about it here and discover why Silver Surfer belongs in your bag, too.

Harbinger #24 (Valiant): Almost done. Shame, really. Has been one of the better superhero team books around.

The Last Broadcast #2 (Archaia): #1 was terrific! Can’t wait to discover what’s next! Hoping pretty hard that Andre Sirangelo can keep the same pace here in #2.

Magnus: Robot Fighter #4 (Dynamite): Fred Van Lente’s a busy man, but he’s not letting it show in his work; he writes each book as if it’s his only one. Absolutely loved #3–especially when the Robot Fighter’s fist met a flying car’s front end in a spectacular spread by Corey Smith. Speaking of fists:

Magnus: Robot Fighter #4

Translucid #3 (BOOM!): #2 was the runner-up for Biggest Dis(appointment) of May. There’s a fine line between a juvenile affect and juvenilia. Hoping for more than a month’s worth of maturity here with #3.

Veil #3 (Dark Horse): The ante has been upped–and so has my interest in the book. It ain’t Lazarus, folks, but it ain’t bad: Greg Rucka’s going full Fatale, and Toni Fejzula’s art is pretty striking.

Veil #3

Astro City #12 (DC/Vertigo): The follow-up to a terrific #11, which you’ll see highlighted in a celebratory post in the not-so-distant future.

Batman Eternal #5 (DC): Into my second month of Gotham-centered gobbledygook. #4 offered up plenty of reasons to jump off–including an awful conversation between Batman and Batgirl. I mean, who talks like that?

The Wake #8 (DC/Vertigo): Ah, a rare double dose of Scott Snyder. I was disappointed with #7: it didn’t quite sell what #6 so emphatically offered. By and by, I buy.

Clone #16 (Image): #15 is a bit lost on me, but that’s OK; Clone‘s been a fun ride.

Fatale #22 (Image): No surprise here: Fatale has been nominated for an Innie in the Best Ongoing Series category! #21 didn’t quite capture the same magic as #20–our #2 book of February–but is was still pretty darned good. Hey: Brubaker and Phillips are competing against themselves–the ridiculously high standard they’ve set for themselves over the life of this brilliant book. Hmm… Would that be a fatal strength?

Fatale #22

Nailbiter #1 (Image): I haven’t been taken by anything I’ve read from Joshua Williamson. But I’ll take this one home, thank you very much. It’s a #1 thing.

Satellite Sam #8 (Image): Hawkeye is very good. Sex Criminals is more overrated than x-rated. Satellite Sam, however, is proving to be Fraction’s flagship. Doesn’t hurt that Howard Chaykin’s black and white art is out of this world.

Cyclops #1 (Marvel): Greg Rucka–nominated for an Innie in the Best Writer category for his work on Lazarus–returns to the hot half of the Big Two and takes on one of my all-time favorite characters. Even though we’re going to be spinning ’round in space, I’m still pretty psyched.

Cyclops #1

Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #2 (Marvel): Writer/artist Kaare Andrews impressed with an engaging #1. Highlight: his building of Danny’s backstory. Let’s see what he does with Danny’s frontstory.

Loki: Agent of Asgard #4 (Marvel): Al Ewing’s having fun and so am I; so I’m still buying.

Magneto #3 (Marvel): I really liked what Cullen Bunn did in #2: he crafted a tight, emotionally affecting story from the past and cradled it expertly with a tense present.

Magneto #3

Miracleman #5 (Marvel): So, so good. What have we learned after four issues? Alan Moore’s the real Miracleman.

Moon Knight #3 (Marvel): Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey delivered a kill-shot–one after another–with #2. If you–yeah, you–didn’t pick it up, do yourself a favor and grab it and #3 while you’re at it.

Caliban #2 (Avatar): The first one was good enough to give this one a go. Liked it more than I liked Pariah and the space side of Letter 44, if that tells you anything. I’m not too sure that tells me anything.

The Sixth Gun #40 (Oni Press): As solid–and consistent–an ongoing as you’re bound to find. That’s right: no peaks and valleys here: Bunn and Hurtt are brilliant from one issue to the next.

The Woods #1 (BOOM!): James Tynion IV goes original with some otherworldly horror. Talk about field trips!

The recent announcement of the 2014 Eisner Award nominees have occasioned much debate here at the I&N offices (located in a snug chateau high in the Swiss Alps). Needless to say we were filled with outrage! (And by ‘outrage’ I mean ‘mild disagreement’.) The choices for nominees did not exactly match our own! The temerity! This would not stand! And so, we here at I&N proudly present: the Innies!

What does ‘Innies’ stand for? Well other than an attempt at shameless self-branding, it stands for ‘independence’! Being ‘in’ the know! Part of the ‘in’ crowd! And possessing the non-freaky type of belly button.

Since we don’t have the big-time budget of the fancy-pants Eisners, we’ve limited ourselves to six categories (sorry Letterers of Archival Collections of Anthologies for Early Readers!)

If the Eisners are the Oscars, and the Harveys are the Golden Globes, then we’re the Independent Spirits! (or at least the Ace Awards)

Sorry our list is late. I blame Derek for having passed on his half of the Top 5 because his wife gave birth to his second child–another beautiful daughter–or something silly like that.

#5. Lazarus #6 (Image): Greg Rucka’s not a shy guy. We know which way he leans politically–and there’s plenty of leaning here in Lazarus. Sure, he could easily have turned this series into a didactic dystopian diatribe; however, he handles the political landscape with class, never becoming too heavy handed. This chapter is beautifully bookended: it kicks off with a flashback to a young Forever–and the simmering mystery regarding her family ties–and ends with the hope of a brighter future for old Dennis’s granddaughter–a future with a family not her own. The issue is a slow burn, satisfyingly so, which at its peak features the fleeting threat of violence. Michael Lark’s art is as effective as ever, but it’s the pacing, the patience, that propels this part of the story. (SC)

#4. The Twilight Zone #2 (Dynamite): J. Michael Straczynski’s a frustrating fella. His Joe’s Comics line, in general, has been a major disappointment; but we’re still willing to give him a shot, aren’t we? Of course, we are: he’s JMS, after all. And good thing, too: The Twilight Zone is something special–even if it isn’t so unique. See: the storyline–what makes this initial arc a believable Twilight Zone episode–is the very same storyline at the center of JMS’s Sidekick. No kidding! But I’m not going to speculate as to the reason for his identical identity-swapping plots; instead, I’m going to put that inconvenient truth aside and celebrate what he’s done well. Let’s be honest: it’s no surprise that Straczynski shines here: after all, he wrote episodes of The Twilight Zone television series some twenty-five years ago; and those TV writing chops are seen specifically in the furious pace that is set, the result of narration and dialogue designed to launch the story into the stratosphere, where, in true Twilight Zone fashion, the impossible becomes even more impossible: Trevor Richmond, who is technically the re-faced former Trevor Richmond, finds a new and improved Trevor Richmond, who unsettlingly looks the part and is looking to right the former’s wrongs–in the boardroom and in the bedroom–and the former is none to happy about it! Straczynski and artist Guiu Vilanova set Trevor Prime in motion–a la Dan Aykroyd’s Louis Winthorpe III from Trading Places: he gets scoffed at, shot at, frying-panned at; and, unable to take it anymore, he swears revenge “one way…or the other” on an ominous final page that makes us believe him. Something tells me that this new Trevor Richmond isn’t exactly what he looks like. (SC)

Twilight Zone #2

#3. The Massive #20 (Dark Horse): Once again, Brian Wood wields tension like a gun loaded with climaxes but not fired. He offers us a rope; we willingly pull it taut; and he challenges us along the way, never allowing any slack, but also never threatening to snap the rope in two. The telling tug-of-war extends to the characters, as well: Mag vs. agents of Arkady–and then Arkady himself; Cal vs. Yusup, himself a seemingly reluctant agent of Arkady; and, ultimately, roiling beneath the surface, waiting to boil over, Cal vs. Mag. The juxtaposition of the conversations is choreographed elegantly, and executed expertly by the game Garry Brown, through to the final page of this deliberate dance–a final page that hints at Wood’s willingness to finally pull the trigger: as his page-bound proxy promises, come next issue, “[A]ll will be made clear.” Oh, and there’s something about Mary–something very mysterious and melodious about Mary. (SC)

The Massive #20

#2. Fatale #20 (Image): Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Fatale has been a well-Lovecrafted hypnotic thrill-ride from the smoking hot and super suggestive first issue. But none has possessed as much raw demonic power as this month’s offering, in which Josephine lights up and lets go, revealing several sides of herself, including, most notably, her desperate suiside–well, her numerous attempts, anyway. She’s driven to find Nick, and she ain’t kiddin’ around: in fact, in a particularly creepy scene, she kicks a kid–a boy who hits puberty hard in Jo’s “pretty, pretty” presence–out of a car she jacks and leaves him in the middle of the road, another casualty of the ruinous raven-haired femme fatale, who, in the end, lobotomizes Lance with a cigarette-flavored kiss and saves Nick, but not before leaving him with a memory that blows his mind–and an issue that blows ours to smithereens. Sexy mothereffing smithereens. (SC)

Fatale #20

#1. Mind MGMT #19 (Dark Horse): And now for Matt Kindt’s next trick: using a torn paper technique and tri-color coding to affect four–count ’em: four!–concurrent narratives, the incomparable creator sends Meru to Berlin for the next stop on her magical mystery recruitment tour, leaving us with that childish sense of wonder only a true wizard of the medium can inspire. The Magician’s Tale–the issue’s spine, fractured from the moment the fem illusionist first steps on stage–takes us on a vertical adventure, page after page, from fleeing the increasingly unfriendly audience–and the agents she’s identified in it–all the way to the welcoming arms of the new Mind Management. Attempting to keep pace with the disgraced mage, Meru’s crew splits into two teams, each–in its own series of panels–heading horizontally toward some precarious parallelism–all while the Eraser and her gang, in their own longitudinal fashion, actively pursue, and ultimately score the former agent. Doesn’t matter for whom you’re rooting: it’s an issue that deserves a standing ovation and the top spot in our Top 5. (SC)

Mind MGMT #19

The Biggest Dis(appointment): Rover Red Charlie #3 (Avatar)

Our heroic hounds chasing chickens? A tasty treat! Umm, but having a former feeder toss a bulldog’s kibbles leaves a bad taste in the mouth, doesn’t it? Ugh. (SC)

The Massive #21 (Dark Horse): #20 was one of our Top Five Books of February–and deservedly so. Brian Wood and Garry Brown have hit all the right notes leading up to this arc ender–a real “Bloc” buster!

Mind MGMT #20 (Dark Horse): It might seem as if we’re getting paid to say so, but, no, it’s just true: #19 was our #1 book of February. That’s back-to-back top spots! And let’s not forget that #17 was our top single issue of 2013! Innovation has been at the heart of our celebration; in that, we can’t wait to see what Matt Kindt has come up with this time around.

Dead Boy Detectives #4 (DC/Vertigo): So very Vertigo, isn’t it? Has hooked me much in the same way John Ney Rieber hooked me with The Books of Magic ongoing back in the day. I love how the three narrative voices come together–kind of like the comic book version of Peter, Paul, and Mary.

Dead Boy Detectives #4

The Sandman: Overture #2 (DC/Vertigo): I’m already over its being overdue. I’m not much of a Gaimanite. It’s all about J.H. Williams for me. His art is always welcome in my bag.

The Wake #7 (DC/Vertigo): Can’t say that I understand the celebratory waves left in the wake of the first five issues. But what I can say with certainty is that I liked #6 quite a bit–despite some expository dialogue that smacks of a Sci-Fi original movie. The clever cliffhanger–one of several selling points of #6–calls quickly–too quickly?–to mind what’s come before, making this month’s offering as crucial as can be. The danger: doling out too much or too little here in #7. Snyder’s got to play this one just right.

Alex + Ada #5 (Image): Sure, the forum discussion gets a tad technical, but it is easily chalked up as a necessary evil–one rehabilitated almost immediately by Jonathan Luna’s patient visual storytelling, which, along with complementing well Sarah Vaughn’s more economical approach to the dialogue, accentuates the suspense born of Alex’s choice to reboot Ada. Love the way the issue ends: I’m pretty sure my eyes widened–like Ada’s–in anticipation of that final page turn, which revealed, to my dismay, a suffering Ada. Kudos to Luna and Vaughn for making me suffer along with Ada in the moment and along with Alex for the last month or so. I’m desperate to discover how this pans out for the two of them three of us.

Alex + Ada #5

Fatale #21 (Image): This siren song of a series hit a high note with #20–our #2 book of February. Yet another insistent miracle from Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Not yet willing to accept that Josephine’s story is coming to an end.

Fatale #21

The Manhattan Projects #19 (Image): Can you guess which part of #18 I appreciated the most? If you’ve been following our blog for a while, you know exactly which sequence left me squealing with joy–a hole lot of joy! (Hint: it’s not the one in Oppenheimer’s head.)

Satellite Sam #7 (Image): With #6, it’s back to business and, as a result, a return to form. Matt Fraction’s writing is crisp, the dialogue an intricate dance; Howard Chaykin’s artwork is–as always–out of this world.

Hawkeye #18 (Marvel): Has been a wild ride number-wise, and, as a result, storyline-wise. #17 was kind of fun in a frivolous and furry way. Speaking of: it’s time for another Kate Bishop singleton! Starting to wonder if I’m buying this for Fraction or for his Hawkeye. I’m leaning toward the latter. That’s right: I’m the Leaning Reader of Hawkeye–who may pass on Clint-less copy.

The Bunker #2 (Oni Press): An interesting premise, naturally complicated by the time-travel aspect, delivered with relative ease by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Joe Infurnari. Looking forward to this one.

The Bunker #2

Doc Savage #4 (Dynamite): Still haven’t read the first three.

The Midas Flesh #4 (BOOM!): #2 was one of our top books of January. #3 didn’t crack our list for February, but it was solid follow-up that gleefully gave us all the finger–Midas’s finger. That’s some serious WMD: Weaponized Midas Digit. Talk about the spoils of war! The blood is the treasure!

Uber Special #1 (Avatar): I’m still diggin’ Uber. Not too sure how much we need a “special,” though.

Our first Top 5 of the year! If the titles below are any indication, 2014 is already shaping up to be a great one for our beloved medium. To wit:

5. Afterlife With Archie #3 (Archie): Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla serve up another clinic on the art of the mash-up. Opening with a nightmare scene worthy of EC Comics, this issue also treats us to tragic teen romance (is there any other kind?), a new wrinkle on a classic rivalry, and a climactic set piece featuring teens in bathing suits engaging in the kind of logic that only makes sense in horror movies. Oh, and two more beloved characters acquire the taste for human flesh. Forget that other zombie book; this is the best undead comic on the stands, and a lot more fun besides. (DM)

Afterlife with Archie #3

4. Saga #18 (Image): Our #4 book of 2013 kicks off the year in feline fashion!

Saga #18

Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples head into their well-deserved–and freakin’ fan-frustrating!–“Vacationanza” with another extraordinary chapter rife with expertly orchestrated peril and commensurate–in one case, winged–crescendos. The issue bares its teeth–along with poor Lying Cat–on page one and from there hits the high notes that our hearts–which are wrenched and warmed by design–long to hear, that they recognize and react to, like a favorite song or a lover’s voice. The final note, struck on the final splash, resounds, envelops us in pure joy. “That a girl,” indeed. OK, sure, the “TIME JUMP!” is a bit of a leap; but isn’t that what we love about these creators–these characters, even? When they go, they go boldly. And the result? I mean, by now, “Isn’t it obvious?” (SC)

3. The Midas Flesh #2 (BOOM!): Ryan North made his name on the wise-assery of his clip art cult favorite Dinosaur Comics and his innovative, medium-bending work on the Eisner Award-winning Adventure Time comic book. Here he tries something a little different: a more or less straight up narrative. Forgoing the conceptual bells and whistles of his earlier work, North trusts instead in the fantastic nature of the story he’s telling. And so far it’s a doozy: a band of space explorers have discovered a planet shrouded in legend and frozen in time; encrusted in solid gold and instant death to any who descend upon it. The planet of course, is earth. Mixing science fiction, ancient mythology and talking dinosaurs (naturally) North is able to balance his trademark philosophical/slacker humor with high adventure and some genuine pathos. And then there is the ethereal beauty, recalling the ruins of Pompeii, and rendered lovingly by series artists Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb, of the transitory everyday moments, gilded for all eternity, commemorated in catastrophe. (DM)

The Midas Flesh #2

2. Fatale #19 (Image): I have to admit, this long-time favorite had fallen a bit on the old depth chart recently. The noir/horror (noirror) tone established, if not invented, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips seemed to spring naturally from the early stories taking place in the 1950s and worked surprisingly well in such far-flung eras as the Middle Ages, the Wild West and the 1970s. But somehow, the Seattle grunge scene of the early ’90’s seemed a poor fit. All the shaggy hair and Doc Martens seemed to dull the edge of the knife Brubaker’s been wielding (or maybe it just brought back too many memories). But with this issue, they’ve once again reached Nirvana. Our unfortunate band of would-be rockers, the latest to fall under the spell of the title character, are dispatched in a pool of blood and flannel in an issue as cold and sleek as any in the series. And by the end, Brubaker has masterfully set up his players for the present-day finale. The femme fatale has found herself. Her enemies have found her. And you’ll find the sweet, foreboding sense of despair that has become this title’s stock in trade, especially in those last few unrelenting pages. And in the knowledge that the end of this book is nigh. Savor it while you can. (DM)

Fatale #19

1. Mind MGMT #18 (Dark Horse): The following confession is being made under extreme coercion. Not physical or emotional, but artistic. You see, everything that’s appeared on this site about Matt Kindt’s superlative Mind MGMT has been written by our man Scott. That’s because until recently, I was not reading it. This is no fault of Scott’s; he’s been pushing it on me ever since I gave him my copy of issue one (gave it to him! like some philistine! some rube! some unmitigated yokel!). I rationalized that I wasn’t a fan of conspiracy fiction; after all, early on the book was garnering comparisons to Lost (with praise from Damon Lindelof yet) and I’ve generally found such fare queasily claustrophobic. So despite its quality, which was readily apparent from the get-go, I figured it simply wasn’t my cup of tea. The change came with issue 13, the first of a series of one-shots each focusing on a different character. But the selling point was really the cover:

Amidst all the slick sci-fi and sexy superheroes was a comic that looked like a 1950’s issue of Good Housekeeping? Talk about audacity! But that was only the beginning. Inside I found that Kindt was playing all sorts of games, unearthing his sordid, multi-layered drama from beneath a veneer of suburban bliss. As the one-shots continued, each gaining momentum from the last, so did Kindt’s lay-outs and design choices become ever more daring, until story and art finally exploded in a beautifully orchestrated climax of form and content in the epic #17 (which, not coincidentally, we named the top single issue of 2013). Claustrophobic? Anything but! Such wild experimentation happily continues in #18, from its Rousseau-inspired cover, to the subtextual juxtaposition of text and images, quite unlike anything I’ve seen (*impressed*). And so I’ve finally succumbed to Kindt’s persuasion: I’ve bought the trades (sadly, not printed on newsprint like the single issues), absorbed the stories and have surrendered my will to Mind MGMT. Because this is what comics can do. Book of the Month. (DM)

Mind MGMT #18

The Biggest Dis(appointment): All-New Invaders #1 (Marvel):

I know that you thought the same thing I thought when I first saw this advertised: James Robinson and Steve Pugh? Yes, please. Well, didn’t take very long for that to turn into No, thanks. Perhaps I should’ve paid more attention to the “All-New” designation, which, from recent experience, is wielded not unlike “delicious” on a box of gluten-free anything. Once you get into it–once you take a bite–you find yourself thinking What was I thinking? For Gods and Soldiers’ sakes, I’m still picking the clichés out of my teeth! And if Robinson were shooting for hokey–as a bit of an homage, I suppose–with his dialogue, well, then he hit the mark. Oh, he Imperius Wrecks the mark, all right! Yeah, someone should’ve invaded the dialogue writing process to liberate the language from the atrocities of The Word Reich–to prevent the Hokeycaust! I guess I should’ve seen it coming. I guess I was blinded by my faith in Robinson. I guess I was remembering fondly some of my early experiences with The Invaders. (In fact, I have a few early copies, including #2 (1975), which I bought in 1983 around the same time I got into Wolfman’s Vigilante. How’s that for a memory, eh?) I guess, too, I was hoping that I’d finally get a version of Captain America–post-Brubaker–that I could be proud of. In the end, guess what: it doesn’t take supreme intelligence to realize that the All-New Invaders is, disappointingly, old news. So, when’s Fantastic Four #1 coming out, again? (SC)